1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a keyboard, such as a computer keyboard, and in particular to a casing of a keyboard having a draining structure to drain liquid accidentally poured into the inside of the keyboard casing.
2. The Related Art
Keyboards are one of the most commonly employed computers input devices or man-machine interfaces. The keyboard comprises a casing inside which electric circuits and parts are arranged. Movable pushbuttons are provided on a top surface of the casing for user""s access and actuation. A stroke of any one of the pushbuttons causes a physical contact between separate parts of the circuit to induce an electric signal corresponding to the pushbutton. Due to the moving parts of the pushbuttons, gaps are formed in the top surface of the keyboard casing. Liquids, such as water and soft drinks that are accidentally poured onto the keyboard may flow into the keyboard casing via the gaps and cause electric short of the circuit of the keyboard.
Thus, it is desired to provide a draining structure for keyboard in order to reduce and even eliminate the problems caused by liquid poured into the keyboard casing.
An object of the present invention is to provide a draining structure for a keyboard comprising a draining structure for guiding liquid that is accidentally poured into the keyboard casing out of the casing to eliminate electric short caused by the liquid contacting a circuit board or electric parts of the keyboard.
To achieve the above object, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a draining structure for a keyboard comprising an upper cover having a top surface forming a number of recessed areas for accommodation of movable pushbuttons. A lower cover is releasable attached to a bottom side of the upper cover. Each recessed area has at least one draining hole, preferably in the form of an elongated slot defined in a sidewall of the recessed area. The lower cover forms a groove corresponding in position to the draining holes of the upper cover for receiving liquid from the recessed areas of the upper cover via the draining holes. A number of openings or elongated slots is defined in the bottom of the groove for expelling the liquid out of the casing. A partition wall is formed in the tower cover for separating the groove from an electric part receiving space in which electric parts are arranged for preventing electric short caused by the liquid contacting the electric parts.